Former NFL player Greg Hardy, who has been convicted of domestic violence, says his developmental deal with the UFC will change people’s perception of him.

Many eyebrows were raised when the UFC offered Greg Hardy, who played with the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League, an opportunity to seize a place on their heavyweight roster.

Hardy, who was 1-0 in professional MMA at the time, defeated his opponent in just 17 seconds on Dana White’s Contender Series, after which he was offered the opportunity to fight in the world's most famous mixed martial arts organization.

“I think I’m one of the best athletes in the world,” Hardy said to reporters afterwards. “I’ll say that every day of the week.”

Many fans and fighters alike, however, have been highly critical of the UFC’s decision to give a contract to a fighter convicted of domestic violence.

Hardy himself, meanwhile, says he has yet to properly interact with his ‘haters.’

“They just talk to you guys,” Hardy said, referring to the media.

“Actually I just got my first tweet ever. Somebody said they wanted some, it was a fan, and I told him if he sends me $20,000, I’ll come through, pray for his family, handle business and take him out to dinner or something.

"But other than that, everybody, to my face, is really nice. Once they meet me, I believe it’s really hard to be that way towards me. You have to act out of ignorance and hate to talk about somebody you don’t know and have never seen, heard or met.”